Alamodome would welcome Cowboys back in 2015

A city official said Monday the Alamodome would welcome the chance to host Cowboys training camp once the team is no longer contractually bound to hold all of its practices in Oxnard, Calif.

A few months after the Cowboys’ five-year deal with the Alamodome expired last year, the club signed a three-year pact with Oxnard that included a three-year option “at the Cowboys’ sole discretion.

According to the Dallas Morning News, the contract also calls for the Cowboys to spend at least 20 days practicing in Oxnard through 2014, meaning the earliest the club could return to San Antonio is 2015. Year One in Oxnard ended last week when the Cowboys broke camp to travel to San Diego for a preseason game.

“We have maintained a very positive relationship with the Dallas Cowboys and would always welcome them to train at the Alamodome,” Michael Sawaya, the city’s director of convention, sports and entertainment facilities, said in an email. “The Alamodome is a very busy, multipurpose venue with a diverse schedule of events. NFL training camp fits within the scope of our mission to provide affordable, varietal entertainment for our community, and we would welcome the opportunity to host another NFL training camp at the Alamodome.”

But it would seem unlikely the Cowboys will return to San Antonio as long as Jason Garrett is the team’s coach. Garrett made it clear last week that he’s a big fan of practicing in Southern California.

“We really like everything about it,” said Garrett, who went on to cite the weather, the grass fields and the proximity of the hotel to the practice facility as reasons why the club enjoys working out in Oxnard.